Yitro

The chosen one: The one who chose and willingly gave up everything that was familiar to him.  Launching himself from his homeland he followed the “word” that came to him.  And in return for his faith and fidelity the Holy One, blessed be He, foretold that he would be blessed but there would be an enslavement of his great great-grandchildren.  God promised that throughout it all that Anochi “I will judge the nation that does so.” (Genesis 15:14).  Using the intimate name Anochi instead of the usual ani, God made a vow that He would be with Abraham and his people forever, blessing them, guiding them and covering them.


We come to today’s Torah portion, Yitro, which contains the Ten Commandments.  

In the Zohar, a story is related of Rabbi Yossi who once approached Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai with a question.


“I am puzzled,” he said.  “Why is it that God - even before He gave the Ten Commandments – thought it was necessary to remind them that He brought them out of slavery?  They already knew that.  Even way before that time, God told Abraham that his descendants would be slaves.  Why is this idea repeated so many times?”


Rabbi Shimon answered, “God began the Ten Commandments with the same name He used when declaring to Abraham many years before that his children would endure slavery, Anochi. Yet God did not promise that He would deliver them from the Sitra Achra, temptations that lurk all around. 


God, Anochi, remains with us every moment of the day.  And in each moment, we have to make choices about whether to heed the sacred call, remembering the promise and the covenant or turn away and follow the nations of the world, the fleeting desires of the instant.  

When you read and hear the first word of the Ten Commandments, Anochi, remember who you are, where you come from and you will understand your destiny.

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